Panel mounted switch enclosure

ABSTRACT

A switch enclosure comprising a broad thin elongated conduit mounted flat against a wall panel can be made of sufficient length to accommodate any desired number of short stroke electrical switches. A standard receptacle which communicates with the conduit and penetrates a standard opening in the panel serves as a conduit for the electrical conductors connected to the switches. Alternatively, the standard receptacle can be made large enough to accommodate other switches too deep to be mounted in the flat conduit.

United States Patent Andrew F. Kirsch [72] Inventor Edison, NJ. 211Appl. No. 821.373 [22] Filed Ma 2.1969 [45] Patented June 29, I971 [73]Assignee Westinghouse Electric Corporation Pittsburgh. Pa.

[54] PANEL MOUNTED SWITCH ENCLOSURE l I Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl. 317/112, 200/159 A, 317/120 [51] lnt.Cl. A02b 1/10, HOlh3/12 [50] Field of Search 200/159 A, 166.l;3l7/99.1l2,l20,l22

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,103,325 12/1937 Frank317/120 X 2,567,42l 9/l95l Brantingson 200/159 3 l77,404 4/1965Patmoremi 317/99 3.210.608 10/1965 Appleton 317/99 Primary Examiner-Lewis H. Myers Assistant ExaminerGerald Tolin Attorneys-A. T. Stratton.C. L. Freedman and Richard y Westerhoff conductors connected to theswitches. Alternatively, the standard receptacle can be made largeenough to accommodate other switches too deep to be mounted in the flatconduit.

PATENTED JUN29 l97l INSULATION STRIP 5 Isap D UZQO OFF LIGHTS INVENTORAndrew F. Kirsch BY Q ATTORNE tacts are composed BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to controlboxes for housing electrical switches and is particularly applicable tocontrol boxes for installations requiring varying numbers of switchessuch as elevator car stations. I

2. Description of the Prior 'Art It is conventional in modern elevatorsystems to provide a series of buttons in each car with which passengersmay select the floor to which they desire to be transported. The controlbox in which the switches are mounted is commonly referred to as a carstation.

A variety of other switches are also normally incorporated into the carstation. Elevator safety codes require that an emergency stop button beprovided with which the can can be brought to an immediate stop bypassengers in the event of an emergency. Usually a door hold button isalso provided with which passengers may override the automatic doorclosing circuits when necessary.

Quite often other switches are provided such as a light switch for theinterior lighting of the cab, a fan switch for the cab ventilatingsystem, an out of service switch whereby the particular car can beremoved from the automatic group supervisory control and operatedindependently and/or an M.G. switch whereby the motor generator setwhich controls the movement of the car can be shut down. In manyinstallations these latter switches are enclosed behind a locked slidingpanel so that only authorized personnel can operate them.

In any event the switches other than the car call switches are fairlywell standardized for a particular line of elevator systems. Forinstance, a particular line of car stations may only have the emergencystop button and a door hold button in addition to the car call buttons.All of the car stations in the line would have identical emergency stopand door hold switches, but the number ofcar call buttons would varywith the number of floors in the building in which the car wasinstalled.

A car call station large enough to accommodate car call buttons for themaximum number of floors in an installation in which the particular lineof car call stations is utilized could be made standard but since thisnumber could far exceed the average number of car call buttons requiredit could be very wasteful. A special car call station can be providedfor each insta'llation, however, this becomes expensive when it isconsidered that since it is common practice to flush mount the carstation in the wall of the cab, the cabs themselves have to becustomized. Two or three standard size car stations can be provided foreach line, but again this requires variations in the construction of thecabs. The car stations are flush mounted not only for esthetic reasons,but also because of the depth of present day car stations, they wouldtake up an inordinate amount of space in the cab if they were mountedflat against the wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The switch enclosure is in the form of a broadthin conduit composed of a flat base section fastened to the panel and acover plate with a 'U-shaped cross section. The switches are operatedthrough openings in the cover plate. The switch conof two flat strips ofelectrically conductive spring material which overlap end to end. One ofthe strips is bowed and when it is depressed by a button placed in anopening in the cover plate, it comes into contact with projections onthe other strip to complete an electrical circuit. Since one of thecontacts on each switch is for the common voltage lead, a single stripof conductive material may be used for all the switches.

Preferably the stationary contact for each switch is premounted on thebase plate. The bowed member or movable contact is cemented to the coverthrough an electrically nonconducting spacer. The bow in the springmaterial mainwall of the cab at the installation. When the cover plateis placed over the base plate, the operating members of the switch arebrought into operating position.

The cover plate is long enough to cover the receptacle through which theelectrical leads for the switches penetrate the panel. The standardreceptacle can be made large enough to accommodate any number ofstandard switches too deep to be placed in the conduit which in apreferred embodiment of the invention is only slightly more than a halfinch deep. Furthermore, certain switches and indicators can be placed inthe receptacle behind a locked panel if desired. If no such deepswitches or locked panels are required, the receptacle can be reduced tomerely a conduit to route the wires for the short stroke switches behindthe panel.

It is therefore a first object of the invention to provide an improvedswitch enclosure for installation requiring varying numbers of switches.I

It is a second object of the invention to provide an improved carstation for use with elevators installed in buildings with varyingnumbers of floors which does not require customizing the elevator cab.

' It is a third object of the invention to provide an improved carstation as described in the second object which protrudes a minimumamount into the cab.

It is a fourth object of the invention to provide an improved carstation as described in the previous objects which will also accommodateother standard switches some of which may be protected from unauthorizedoperation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that a standardreceptacle 3 is flush mounted behind a standard opening in the panel Iof an elevator cab. A duct 5 connected to the bottom of the receptacle 3serves as a conduit for the electrical wiring between the control boxand a traveling cable connected to the car. Typically the receptacle 3may be on the order of 2 inches in depth. The portion of the control boxmounted on the outer facing of the panel 1 is composed of a base plate 7and a cover plate 9 having its edges bent at to form sides 9a (see FIG.2). When in place the base plate 7 and cover plate 9 form a conduitwhich communicates with the receptacle 3. Although the conduit thusformed is shown extending vertically upward from the receptacle 3 it isto be understood that this conduit could be orientated in any directionwith respect to the receptacle 3.

The bottom of the base plate 7 is secured to the panel 1 by 1032hardware 6 which also secures the upper portion of the receptacle 3. Theupper end of the base plate 7 is likewise fastened to the panel 1 by10-32 hardware 8 which also passes through an angle 11 which supportsthe panel I. The location of the upper fastener is dependent of thenumber of switches in a particular control box. The hole through thepanel 1 and the angle 11 can therefore be drilled to suit in the field.Another angle 13 is supported by the same hardware and extends above thebase plate 7 with its flange extending horizontally outward from thepanel 1.

The cover plate 9 in addition to having sides 90 has an upper endsection 9b which-terminates in a downward extension 90. The extension 90fits into the slot between the flan'ge 13 and the panel 1 to serve asthe upper support for the cover plate 9. The cover plate is held inplace by a screw l which fastens the lower end 9d to another angle 17connected to the panel 1 by -32 hardware 18. The depth a of the coverplate 9 may be typically on the order of nine-sixteenths of an inch asin the preferred embodiment described. This slight intrusion into thecab does not detract from the appearance of the car station and presentsminimal obstruction.

in order to utilize the slim profile car station a special switch whichis relatively thin and has a short stroke must be employed. lnv theinterest of economy, a common contract for each switch-can be utilized.in a preferred embodiment of the invention the static member of theswitch is composed of a strip of electrically conductive material.Preferably the contact is made of a spring material such as tin platedphosphorous bronze which is preformed to the shape shown in FIG. 2 withridges 19d and b projecting away from the base plate 7. The contact 19is secured to the base plate 7 which is constructed of electricallynonconductive material by electrically nonconductive hardware such asnylon screws 21. The heads of the screws 21 are made long enough so thatthey may serve as an intermediate support for the cover plate 9. Aseparate stationary contact 19 is provided for each switch. Separateleads 23 are shown soldered to each static contact member 19. Of course,other methods of fastening these leads such as the use of commerciallyavailable connectors can be utilized. The leads 23 are routed downthrough the passage 24 in the conduit and into the receptacle 3.

The movable contact members of the switches are also constructed ofelectrically conductive spring material such as tin plated phosphorousbronze and are preformed with a bow about a transverse axis. The staticcontact 19 and movable contact 25 are orientated end to end with asubstantial portion of each contact member overlapping the other as canbe seen best in FIG. 2. The height of the bow in the movable contactmember 25 exceeds the height of the projections 19a and b on the staticcontact 19 so that these portions of the contacts are not touching whenthe movable contact 25 is in its preformed condition. A strip ofinsulating material 27 such as a polyethylene terephthalate tape(available under the name Mylar polyester tape) or nylon is placedbetween the static contact 19 and the turned up free end 25a of themovable contact to prevent electrical conduction through these portionsof the contacts.

Displacement of the movable member 25 is afiected by the button 29 whichprotrudes through an opening in the face plate 9. conventionally suchbuttons are circular although any shape button could be used. They areconstructed of electrically nonconducting material such as polycarbonateand are held in place by the spring force of the movable member and theflange 29a. Preferably the flange is rectangular as shown in FIG. 1 sothat it bears against the insulating block 33 to prevent rotationof thenumbered button. When a passenger presses the button 29 the movablemember 25 is caused to flatten out until itcomes in contact with theprojections 19a and b on the associated static contact 19 therebycompleting the electrical circuit. The tip 250 of the movable membermoves horizontally across the insulating member 27 as the bow in themovable member 25 is flattened out. A knob 29b in the center of thebutton assists the movable member 25 in making good electrical contactwith the projections 19a and b on the static contact. When the button isreleased the movable member 25 can assume its bowed shape therebybreaking the electrical circuit.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the movable members 25 of two or moreswitches can be cut from the same sheet of material. Each bowed sectioncan therefore be displaced independently yet only one return lead 31 isrequired. Again this lead may be soldered as shown or fastened in someother manner to the common contacts. These common contacts can be formedin long sheets and then cut to order for the desired number of switches.The common contacts 25 are cemented to the insulating block 33. The baseplate 7 is of course made of electrically nonconductive material. Sincethe cover plate 9 is constructed of stainless steel or some other metalfor appearance and durability, the inner surface of the cover plate 9 iscovered with insulation such as Mylar insulating tape. This is requiredby elevator codes which require that certain specified air gaps must beprovided between uninsulated electrical conductors and uninsulatedsurrounding metallic members.

Preferably the insulating block 33 is cemented to the inside of thecover 9 so that the spring action of the movable contacts 25 maintainsthe buttons 29 in position for assembly. The common strip 25 and coverplate 9 with the appropriate number of holes can be prefabricated in theshop to accommodate any desired number of switches. The back plate 7with the appropriate number of static contacts 19 can also be assembledin the shop. In addition the cabs are prefabricated with thestandardsize opening and receptacle 3 already installed. In the field,the holes are drilled through the panel of the cab and the angle '11 atthe appropriate point depending on the length of the base plate 7. Theangle iron 13 and base plate 7 are then secured to the panel 1. When thelip 9c of the front cover 9 is placed in position over the angle 13 andthe lower end 9d is moved into position with respect to the angle 17,the static members 19 and movable members 25 come into operatingposition with respect to each other.

A number of standard switches can be located in the receptacle 3 withtheir operating members protruding through an opening in the coverplate 1. Generally these switches are the ones which are too deep to fitin the conduit formed by a back plate 7 and the front cover 9 althoughthey need not be. Such switches could include the emergency stop button37, the door hold button 39 and the toggle switch for thecab interiorlight 40 included in the car station illustrated. These switches can bemounted on horizontal straps 43 which are secured to the sidewalls ofthe receptacle 3. Numerous other switches could be added to or replacethose shown. Furthermore, a sliding lockable cover plate could beprovided over at least a portion of the receptacle 3 for protectingselected switches, such as the motor generator switch, from unauthorizedoperation. Alternatively, these switches could be key operated. It iscontemplated by this invention; however, that a standard size beestablished for the receptacle 3 so that either one or at least only avery few cab and receptacle combinations need be established. 4 y I Itcan be seen therefore that with the standard receptacle and opening inthe cab wall, the back panel 7 with the associated static contacts andthe front cover 9 with its associated movable contacts can be fabricatedto any length necessary to accommodate the desired number of car callswitches without affecting cab construction. It should be appreciatedthat all of the switches in this portion of the control unit need not beidentical as shown. They may be of different types as long as they fitwithin the narrow conduit formed by the back plate 7 and the front cover9. In addition it can be appreciated that all of the car call buttonsneed not be in a single line. For instance, the buttons could bearranged in two vertical rows with the common contacts 25 all arms of asingle sheet of spring conductor with the common connector down thecenter.

Although the invention has been described as applied to an elevator carstation, the principle could be applied to control units used for otherpurposes. For instance even in the elevator field smaller units could beemployed for the up and down hall call switches conventionally providedat each landing. In such use only two switches need be provided and thereceptacle could be reduced in size to where it was only a small tube ofsufficient diameter for the wiring to pass through. It would thereforebe unnecessary to recess the hall call button assembly in the door jambor wall adjacent the jamb as is now done.

I claim as my invention:

l. A switch enclosure adaptable for mounting to a panel comprising areceptacle having a front surface which may be substantially flushmounted with an opening in a panel, a front cover for said receptacle, afirst electrical switch mounted in the receptacle and operative throughan opening in the front cover, a flat conduit extending parallel to thesaid front surface and communicating with said receptacle, the width ofsaid conduit being several times the height wherein said height ismeasured perpendicular to said front surface, second switches mounted insaid conduit to be operated through openings in the exposed face of theconduit, said conduit being of a length satisfactory to accommodate thedesired number of second switches, first-electrical conductors for saidfirst switch, second electrical conductors for said second switches,said second electrical conductors being routed through the conduit intothe receptacle, and an outlet in said receptacle behind said frontsurface through which said first and second electrical conductors arerouted, whereby a standard opening in a panel will accommodate switchenclosures having varying numbers of second switches.

2. The switch enclosure of claim 1 wherein said conduit is less than 1inch.

3. The switch enclosure of claim 1 wherein a plurality of said height ofsaid second switches each includes a first operating member I comprisingan elongated strip of electrically conductive material having aprojection on one surface, a second operating member comprising anelongated strip of electrically conductive spring material preformedwith a bow about a transverse axis, the height of said bow being greaterthan the height of said projection on said first operating member,mounting means for mounting the operating members end to end with thebow of the second operating member overlapping the projection of saidfirst operating member, the second operating member being secured onlyat one end, the other end being free to slide longitudinally, separateof said second electrical conductors being connected to the first andsecond operating members respectively, said switch being operated tocomplete an electrical circuit when the bowed operating member isdepressed until it comes into contact with the projection on the firstoperating member.

4. The switch enclosure of claim 3 wherein said first operating membersare also composed of spring material and wherein said projectioncomprises a transverse ridge in said first operating member.

5. The switch enclosure of claim 3 wherein the corresponding operatingmembers of at least two of said second switches are separate arms of asingle electrically conductive strip.

6. The switch enclosure of claim 3 wherein the second operating membersof said second switches are parallel bowed arms formed by cutting slotsat spaced intervals substantially perpendicular to one edge of agenerally rectangular sheet, said slots extending longitudinally along apreformed bow spanning a substantial width of said sheet, a singlesecond electrical conductor being connected to said sheet therebyforming a common lead for all of said second switches.

7. The switch enclosure of claim 6, wherein the conduit is composed of abase plate and a cover plate with its longitudinal edges bentperpendicular to the plane of the base plate to form sides, and whereinthe said first operating members are fastened to one of said plateswhile the second operating members are fastened to the other, saidoperating members coming into proper operating position when the twoplates are joined together.

' 8. The switch enclosure of claim 7 wherein said cover plate hasopenings through which said second switches are operated and includingbuttons for operating said second switches, said buttons being held inplace in the openings in the cover plate by the spring action of theassociated operating members and by a flange on the button which bearsagainst the cover plate.

9. The switch enclosure of claim 7 wherein the cover plate also formsthe front cover of the receptacle.

10. The switch enclosure of claim 1 wherein the front cover for thereceptacle includes a movable panel mounted for movement to cover andexpose said first switch.

11. The switch enclosure of claim 3 wherein said other end of saidsecond operating member of each of a plurality of second switchesoverlaps the first operating member, and wherein said switch enclosureincludes insulating means for preventing electrical conduction betweenthe overlapping end of said second operating member and said firstoperating member.

1. A switch enclosure adaptable for mounting to a panel comprising areceptacle having a front surface which may be substantially flushmounted with an opening in a panel, a front cover for said receptacle, afirst electrical switch mounted in the receptacle and operative throughan opening in the front cover, a flat conduit extending parallel to thesaid front surface and communicating with said receptacle, the width ofsaid conduit being several times the height wherein said height ismeasured perpendicular to said front surface, second switches mounted insaid conduit to be operated through openings in the exposed face of theconduit, said conduit being of a length satisfactory to accommodate thedesired number of second switches, first electrical conductors for saidfirst switch, second electrical conductors for said second switches,said second electrical conductors being routed through the conduit intothe receptacle, and an outlet in said receptacle behind said frontsurface through which said first and second electrical conductors arerouted, whereby a standard opening in a panel will accommodate switchenclosures having varying numbers of second switches.
 2. The switchenclosure of claim 1 wherein said height of said conduit is less than 1inch.
 3. The switch enclosure of claim 1 wherein a plurality of saidsecond switches each includes a first operating member comprising anelongated strip of electrically conductive material having a projectionon one surface, a second operating member comprising an elongated stripof electrically conductive spring material preformed with a bow about atransverse axis, the height of said bow being greater than the height ofsaid projection on said first operating member, mounting means formounting the operating members end to end with the bow of the secondoperating member overlapping the projection of said first operatingmember, the second operating member being secured only at one end, theother end being free to slide longitudinally, separate of said secondelectrical conductors being connected to the first and second operatingmembers respectively, said switch being operated to complete anelectrical circuit when the bowed operating member is depressed until itcomes into contact with the projection on the first operating mEmber. 4.The switch enclosure of claim 3 wherein said first operating members arealso composed of spring material and wherein said projection comprises atransverse ridge in said first operating member.
 5. The switch enclosureof claim 3 wherein the corresponding operating members of at least twoof said second switches are separate arms of a single electricallyconductive strip.
 6. The switch enclosure of claim 3 wherein the secondoperating members of said second switches are parallel bowed arms formedby cutting slots at spaced intervals substantially perpendicular to oneedge of a generally rectangular sheet, said slots extendinglongitudinally along a preformed bow spanning a substantial width ofsaid sheet, a single second electrical conductor being connected to saidsheet thereby forming a common lead for all of said second switches. 7.The switch enclosure of claim 6, wherein the conduit is composed of abase plate and a cover plate with its longitudinal edges bentperpendicular to the plane of the base plate to form sides, and whereinthe said first operating members are fastened to one of said plateswhile the second operating members are fastened to the other, saidoperating members coming into proper operating position when the twoplates are joined together.
 8. The switch enclosure of claim 7 whereinsaid cover plate has openings through which said second switches areoperated and including buttons for operating said second switches, saidbuttons being held in place in the openings in the cover plate by thespring action of the associated operating members and by a flange on thebutton which bears against the cover plate.
 9. The switch enclosure ofclaim 7 wherein the cover plate also forms the front cover of thereceptacle.
 10. The switch enclosure of claim 1 wherein the front coverfor the receptacle includes a movable panel mounted for movement tocover and expose said first switch.
 11. The switch enclosure of claim 3wherein said other end of said second operating member of each of aplurality of second switches overlaps the first operating member, andwherein said switch enclosure includes insulating means for preventingelectrical conduction between the overlapping end of said secondoperating member and said first operating member.